Hollow
by MidnightEden234
Summary: Seven years ago his mother died, and seven years ago his Inner Hollow woke. It was never suppose to happen this early, but it did. And now, Ichigo travels through his destiny with his darkness as his guide. The story of Ichigo Kurosaki, as you know it, warped and changed into the story of the boy who sold his soul to the darkness... IchiRuki, then HichiIchi in later chapters
1. Prologue: Death and the Strawberry

**Full Summary: Before he went to the Soul Society to save the girl, before he realized he and his friends weren't normal, before he even met Rukia... His mother died. That day awakened something within Ichigo Kurosaki, something dark, something hollow, something that wasn't supposed to be awakened until that day in the Shattered Shaft. The story of Ichigo Kurosaki, as you know it, changed and twisted into the tale of a boy who surrendered to his darkness.**

**Pairing: HichiIchi**

**Warning: Safely rated T this chapter. Don't read if you don't like yaoi, boyXboy, etc.**

* * *

**Because we are amorphous we hold that in reverence…**

Karakura Town. 7:23 p.m. Friday.

Ichigo Kurosaki, a fifteen year old boy with magnificently orange hair, marched down his street with a murderous look on his face. Four immature men came gliding down the street towards him, each of them riding skateboards. Funny how that seemed to fit them so perfectly.

As they approached Ichigo, he 'accidentally' stuck his foot in the wheel of the first man's skateboard. The man fell over forward, smashing his forehead into the pavement and receiving numerous grazes along his hands and knees.

"Shoulda worn proper gear," Ichigo mumbled. Like he was one to talk. He rode his own skateboard, a black board with red wheels, without anything more than a pair of shorts and a tank top all the time.

"Hey, you!" the first man to notice called out. Ichigo turned to him slowly with an almost blank look on his face. "You think you can do that to my bro Yama?" As expected, the man ran towards Ichigo without a moment's hesitation.

Ichigo sighed. These punks were all the same.

He lifted his leg up and, with ease, kicked the man down to the pavement.

"Toshi's down!" the first of the other two men gasped. "We've gotta-"

"Wait," the second of the two screamed. He put his hand on the first man's chest to keep him from running. "That orange hair! The school uniform! It's Ichigo Kurosaki! Fuck man, if we don't bail he'll kill us for sure!"

Ichigo grinned, he was glad that his name was going around. "Both of ya shut up!"

The two jumped in fear.

"Now, I want you to look over here." Ichigo instructed, extending his arm to point at a basket near the lamp post. The basket had been turned over, flowers and ribbons scattered over the sidewalk. "Do you know what that is?"

"An offering to a kid who died here recently…" the second man answered.

Ichigo moved so fast that the first man could barely see him. In fact, it was almost as if Ichigo flashed out of vision for a few seconds before appearing again. Ichigo's foot landed perfectly in the center of the second man's face. "Great answer!" he praised.

Then turned to the last man standing. "Why is knocked over?"

The man gulped. "Th-This morning… we knocked it over… skateboarding?"

"I see…" Ichigo said, grin slowly fading. Using his thumb, he gestured to something behind him, a child floating in midair. "Then you owe this child an apology."

"I'M SORRY!" All four men cried over and over. They bowed in respect, and bolted away.

Ichigo grunted in satisfaction. He turned around to face the young girl, giving her and gentle pat on the head. "Sorry to use you like that, but those men shouldn't be coming around here anytime soon. Your parents should come by here after supper, right? Give them your goodbye, and then go to-"

"H-How do you know that there's a heaven?" The girl asked.

Ichigo gave her a rather gentle smile. "I don't know about heaven, but I know there's a place you can go called the Soul Society. You'll like it there. It's quiet and peaceful, and the perfect place to rest."

And with that, Ichigo Kurosaki turned and walked away.

Yes, as most of you know, Ichigo Kurosaki can see spirits. He lives in Kurosaki Clinic, a place ran by his father, and he has two younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin. However, as you'll soon come to understand, there are a few twists to this story.

"I'm home," Ichigo called.

"You're-" Isshin kicked him in the face. "-late! What time do you think it is, you delinquent! You know dinner is every night at 7!"

"Is that any way to treat your son?" Ichigo shouted back, wiping the blood rolling down his lips.

"Silence! It doesn't matter who you are! To he who disrupts this households harmony, only a punishment of blood shall be suitable!"

"Oh~ Stop it both of you~ The food's getting cold~" Yuzu scolded in a mother-like voice.

"Let them be, Yuzu." Karin dragged. "This just leaves more food for us. Gimme another bowl please."

"The rules are too strict in this house!" Ichigo shouted, pointing a finger at his father. "In what world is there a parent that sets a curfew for a high school student at 7 p.m?"

"The rules are in place to-"

"Ah forget it!" Ichigo interjected. "I'm going to my room! Good night!"

"Ichigo, wait! You haven't even had supper yet!" But Yuzu was too late. The sound of Ichigo stomping up the stairs was heard and moments later he slammed his door.

Karin turned to her father. "This is your fault you know."

"Me? But what did I do?" Isshin rambled. Ichigo could hear them all clearly from his bedroom.

"Ichigo's been having a hard time lately! More and more spirits have been contacting him, and I've also heard him talking to himself…" Yuzu stated.

"What!?" Isshin screamed. "You mean he talks to you about these things?"

Ichigo tuned the rest of that conversation out. His thoughts got caught up on something Yuzu had said. 'Talking to himself…?' He had to be more careful. If anyone found out about what he was doing, he'd be in trouble for sure.

Just then something else seemed to have caught his attention. Ichigo reached out for it, a Black Swallowtail Butterfly. "Where did you come from?"

Ichigo's eyes widened greatly. Following the butterfly into his room was a girl, but not just any girl, she was a Shinigami. Ichigo recognized that get up anywhere. A black Shihakusho, a katana, and Spiritual Pressure twenty times greater than anyone sitting downstairs.

'_Play the innocent act.'_

'_No need to tell me that.'_

"It's near…" the Shinigami girl whispered to herself. She reached for her Zanpakuto making Ichigo have a miniature heart attack.

"Near my ass!" Ichigo shouted as he kicked the Shinigami girl down. "Just what the hell are you talking about? You're a pretty confident burglar to just be marching right in here!"

"Y… You can… see me?" the girl questioned, her eyes wide in shock.

"No… I mean, it's not like I just kicked you or anything!"

"That's not it. You see, normal people are not supposed to be able to see me. I am a Shinigami."

'So I was right,' Ichigo confirmed to himself. "A Shinigami…?"

"I came from the Soul Society. I was sent on a mission to eradicate an evil spirit," the Shinigami said calmly.

"You came from a place called the Soul Society. You're here on a mission to exterminate an evil spirit." Ichigo repeated. "Okay, I'll believe you…" Ichigo flipped a coffee table. "In a thousand years!"

"You can see me and yet you don't believe in the existence of a Shinigami?"

"I believe in ghosts, because I see them every day…" Ichigo slammed his fist onto his palm. "Oh! I see now! You're just a little brat playing Shinigami! Well, run along now, your little friends must be waiting for you to save them from the big bad evil spirits!"

The Shinigami's eye twitched. "Oh, I'm a brat am I? First Restraint! Obstruction!"

Ichigo's arms snapped behind his back and he fell to the ground, curled in a ball. This was no joke, that girl was a legit Shinigami. "OUCH! What the hell…!?"

"Even though I look like this I have been alive almost ten times longer than you have, and yet you dare to call me a little brat? Usually I'd kill fellows like you, but spiritual law states that one cannot harm humans they have not been ordered to kill…" The Shinigami girl slowly drew her sword.

'_King, get the hell outta there!'_

'_I'm trying!'_

'_Uhh… Hey, Ichigo… that's a marker.'_

"Damn it! Drawing all over my face... What kind of a Shinigami are you?"

"Oh, so you believe in me now?"

"You just bound my arms with nothing! Do you think I wouldn't believe you?"

The girl just looked away, gazing out the window as if she was lot in a dream.

"Umm… so, you said you were sent here on a mission to kill an evil spirit?"

"That is correct." She turned back to Ichigo, though her grey eyes were not completely focused on the orangette. Ichigo brought his nose down to the floor and attempted to wipe off the marker the Shinigami put on above his lips. It was rather frustrating that he couldn't just break this Kido and go to the bathroom, but if he did that it would most definitely not go well.

Just then a blood curdling, ear piercing scream cut through the air. Ichigo felt shivers run up his spin, never had he heard a hollow so bloodthirsty as _that._

'_That Shinigami is our only chance, but she's too stupid to raise her own Spiritual Pressure in order to cancel out mine! If she doesn't sense the Hollow soon… I may have to-'_

'_That's not an option!'_

'_Why? Karin and Yuzu-'_

'_Will be fine. Trust me, King, have I ever lead you astray?'_

'_No…'_

"It's like a great power is blocking my senses…"

"Hey, Shinigami!"

"What do you want…?"

Ichigo choked down a growl. "What do you mean; what do you want? Haven't you heard that screech? Aren't you even paying attention?"

"A screech…?"

The cry sounded again, this time much louder than the last. Ichigo's stomach flipped then suddenly became swarmed with butterflies. He saw the Shinigami react this time and so he knew that everyone should be fine, but at the same time he was well aware that the Hollow was on his street.

Suddenly another cry met the air. This time it didn't belong to a Hollow, but it belonged to-

"Yuzu!" Ichigo saw the Shinigami rush off. "Hey! Wait up, where are you going? Unbind me!"

'Shit,' Ichigo grumbled to himself. He inched forward like a caterpillar, bit by bit making it out into the hallway. There he was paralyzed as he met Karin halfway to the stairs.

"Ichi… are you… okay?" She grunted out. Her voice was weak, sweat and blood pouring down her face.

"KARIN!"

'_Fuck this shit! I don't care if it gives away something! I'm rescuing my family!'_

_A devilish smile curled onto his lips. 'Very well, use what I've taught you if you must. But I'm sure that you can handle a Hollow without even calling on your Zanpakuto.'_

Ichigo smiled at the permission he was given. He shattered the binds on his legs, forcing himself to stand. He could hear the Shinigami protest, saying something about damaging his soul. Ichigo hid his grin, he wasn't a human and some low level Kido stood no chance against the power of his soul. The Shinigami hadn't even used an incantation.

His binding shattered like glass to pavement. The Shinigami momentarily lost her breath as Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure washed over her. Ichigo quickly suppressed his power once again, hoping that the Shinigami would overlook it as just the Kido breaking.

He then picked up a bat and rushed past Karin down the stairs. When he arrived he saw his dad laying in a puddle of blood by the wall. Turning his vision towards the door, he froze with what he saw. Was he too late? Had the Hollow already devoured Yuzu's soul?

No, it didn't look that way. Yuzu was unconscious, but she wasn't dead.

Letting out a fierce cry of anger, Ichigo rushed towards the Hollow, bat held high. He was prepared to swing down, using his Spiritual Pressure to chill the Hollow to its spot, but his plan was interrupted when the Shinigami called out to him.

"Damn brat…" he cursed beneath his breath. The Hollow got the best of him, swinging for his bat and sending him flying back into the house. For the most part the bat absorbed the blow, but Ichigo could still feel blood trickling down his neck. It was then that the Hollow jumped straight towards him, and not being able to use his power to avoid the blow, Ichigo feared he was done for.

That was, until the Shinigami girl saved him.

Ichigo's eyes when partially wide as the Shinigami sliced through the Hollow's arm. Ichigo thought dully to himself, 'I would've sliced it clean off,' before he become more preoccupied with catching his sister.

Placing Yuzu down gently on the carpet, Ichigo walked back out into the streets. He stood beside the Shinigami, then directed his next words at the Hollow, "Hey you, ugly! Yeah, you wanna mess with me and my family? Then come here and get some ya bastard!"

That seemed to provoke the Hollow enough. Ichigo calmed his nerves as the Hollow charged him full on. He searched for the place inside him where his powers were located. He was prepared to expose himself to this girl because he could easily kill her later…

But when the Hollow bit into the Shinigami's flesh instead of tasting the fury of his Zangetsu, Ichigo was more than upset (disappointed).

"You fool…" the Shinigami girl wheezed.

'_Now's your chance. Kill the girl, slaughter the Hollow and-'_

'_No, I have a better idea. You said it yourself; you don't know everything about the Soul Society because you're a Hollow… an Arrancar. This girl is a real Shinigami, and if I play the right cards, then I might be able to get some information out of her.'_

'_I'm impressed King. You're starting to think like me.'_

Ichigo swallowed unconsciously. He wasn't completely sure that he wanted to think like _him… _but then again, he'd been his mentor for the past seven years.

"You are no match for a Hollow… despite surprising me by breaking my enchantment, what little power you have will not work against this creature." She coughed slightly, blood rolling down her lips. "I would tell you not to worry, however in this situation I am no longer able to fight this Hollow…"

Ichigo widened his eyes in shock. It was only for show, he had already gathered that much information on his own.

"Do you want to save your family?" The Shinigami asked. Ichigo nodded his head frantically. "There is a way… or more exact… there is _only one way…_ You must become a Shinigami." And the girl held out her Zanpakuto, pointing it directly into Ichigo's chest. Ichigo knew how this worked; it was a way to transfer Shinigami powers to another being. _He_ had used to help Ichigo master his Bankai…

Ichigo swallowed the saliva in his mouth. He took hold of the Shinigami's sword, then mumbled weakly, "What do you want me to do?"

"Pierce my blade through your chest and I will transfer half of my Shinigami powers to you. You will become a Shinigami only temporarily, but it'll be enough to defeat the Hollow."

Ichigo nodded firmly, though made sure his body was shaking visibly. He heard the Hollow take charge once again, and decided that he needed to finish this off quickly. "I'll do it, Shinigami."

"My name isn't 'Shinigami'. It's Kuchiki Rukia."

"I see… well then, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo could feel the blade slowly pierce his skin. "Let's pray this isn't our last meeting, Rukia."

And the Zanpakuto ran him through. It wasn't Ichigo's fault, nor was it _his_ fault, but Ichigo having a Hollow within him caused that part of his soul to become greedy. It devoured Rukia's Spiritual Power, feeding its master twice the amount of what was taken.

This power rolled around Ichigo, exploding outwards in a blinding golden light. The Hollow stretched out its hand into the light, and moments the later its hand disintegrated. Ichigo appeared at the opposite side of the street, a massive katana in his hand and slung over his back.

"How…" Rukia mumbled to herself, watching Ichigo take on the Hollow. "How did he take all my power? And furthermore… how could I have no noticed… that massive power blocking my senses earlier, it was him!? But a human cannot possess such strength. What monstrous power… just what is he!?"

"Realise the mistake of messing with me, Ichigo Kurosaki, and my family! Die, Fish Face!" Ichigo shouted as he dealt the final blow. His borrowed Zanpakuto sliced the Hollow perfectly in half.

Ichigo Kurosaki : 15 years old.

Hair Color : Orange.

Eye Color : Brown/Gold

Occupation : High School Student. Shinigami.

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**I know, I know… once again, bad me for starting yet another story! But hey, I got a few stories coming to a close soon (sequels may happen~) and so I might as well get this one up before the others go out.**

**Leave your reviews! I really wanna know what you think of this story! Please leave some critical advice or any of your own ideas, I really appreciate it!**

**~Midnight**


	2. Chapter One: Karakura High

**You're going to notice that the **_italic _**paragraphs are in Ichigo's point of view. This is going to happen a lot throughout the story. Lesser when he's fighting and more when he talks about the past. Pay attention to every detail in this story. You'll see why!**

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"What… what are you saying…?" Ichigo mumbled in his sleep. He rolled onto his side, clenching his pillow tightly in his hand. "What do you mean!?"

"GOOD MORNING ICHIGO~!"

_Using natural instinct developed over the past eight years, I was able to dodge my father's morning greeting. My eyes shot open, my hand latching on to Isshin's face, and I used his body weight to pin the middle aged man to the floor._

"You've got some nerve,"_ I growled, making sure to look Isshin in the eye. _"Attacking me in my sleep…"

Karakura High School. 10:43 a.m.

Orihime Inoue, a quiet girl with a distant look in her eyes, sat near the window in the girl's change room. The window was open, letting in a gentle calming breeze. The blue curtain was a kite in the wind, soaring steadily through the air. Orihime opened he small mouth wide, yawning rather noticeably.

Tatsuki, another girl at Karakura high, looked nearly the complete opposite of Orihime. She was shorter that Orihime, with dark hair and blue eyes. Unlike Orihime's faded brown eyes, Tatsuki's eyes were filled with strength and determination. They'd surely lead her to greatness someday.

"Ichigo sure is late today…" Orihime sighed.

Tatsuki grinned. "Oh, you were thinking about Ichigo, weren't you?"

Orihime jumped up straight in her chair. "N-No I wasn't!"

Tatsuki made a small grunting noise. She leaned in close to Orihime, and then proceeded to interrogate her. "What about him do you like? He's a jerk, he's cold, he's short tempered… and not to mention just about every gang in the school has him at the top of their hit list…"

Orihime giggled. "I think Ichigo's funny!"

"Eh?"

"That face of his! He's always grinning, and it makes him look so funny! And I can just imagine him with whiskers, an afro, alien antenna, bushy eyebrows… He's really the best!"

"R… Really…" Tatsuki groaned. "Orihime, someone like him doesn't deserve someone like you…"

The bell rung, signaling the end of gym class. The girls shuffled out of the change room, one by one making it out into the crowded blue hallways of Karakura High. Orihime and Tatsuki continued chatting, mostly about Orihime's crush, but also about what lunch they had brought today. When suddenly Orihime crashed to the floor having bumped into something, like a wall, that sent her rebounding backwards.

"I demand you apolo-" Tatsuki froze when she saw the culprit.

Trademark grin on soft pink lips, sparkling piercings in his bottom lip and through his left eyebrow, a delicately applied layer of black eye liner around each eye, and eyes that shone with no regret whatsoever. "My _apologies _Orihime. I didn't see you when I turned around the corner."

Tatsuki was shocked into silence, Orihime a stuttering mess on the floor.

"I'll be seeing you in history class then, right?" Without waiting for an answer, he stepped over Orihime and continued his way to his locker.

"What an asshole!" Tatsuki nearly screamed.

"N-No… I'm sure he knew I was fine! And he did apologize."

Tatsuki gave a miniature glare to her friend. "Ichigo Kurosaki could drive a stake through your heart and still play it off as an accident. Orihime, there's no way he didn't see you rounding that corner. He's just one big idiot!"

* * *

_I arrived, late as usual, in history class. I didn't care. The teacher was always ten minutes late anyways, and judging by the clock he'd be here in three minutes. I took my seat to the left of the class, away from the windows, and unfortunately behind Uryu Ishida. Well, it was unfortunate for him anyway._

However, before Ichigo was able to pest his favourite victim, he was tapped on the shoulder. Turning, Ichigo received the third largest shock of his life.

"Hi!" Rukia Kuchiki greeted, extending her hand kindly to Ichigo. "My name's Rukia, Rukia Kuchiki! Nice to meet you~!"

"R-Rukia!?"

Ichigo quickly glanced around the room, now realizing that all eyes were on him. He cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes and giving Rukia the 'cool-boy' smirk he was known for. She opened her palm, written on it were the words "Say something and I kill you."

Ichigo shook her hand in a calm and collective manner. He then spoke with slight venom in his voice, "_Welcome_ to your new school. How long do you think you'll be staying with us?"

Rukia smiled back, never releasing Ichigo's hand until their glaring match ended. "I'll be staying until the end of this month. Then I'll be returning to my home, the place I came from."

A few surprised mutters were heard around the room. Just then the teacher entered and everyone jumped into their seats. The teacher, Mr. Ortech (Pronounced Ore-tesh) laid out a map of the world, Canada and Britain highlighted across the paper.

'That's right,' Ichigo confirmed, 'We're still learning about World War One.'

_This is gonna suck. So, I took my pencil and tapped Uryu's ear. The student didn't move. I tried it again. Still no reaction. I then slipped a rubber band out of my right pocket, stretched it back as far as it could go, and let it snap into Uryu Ishida's head._

"Sir!" Uryu called.

"Kurosaki. Front. **Now**." Mr. Ortech demanded.

Ichigo picked up his books, trudged to the front of the class and plopped himself down in his 'reserved' seat. He looked up at the teacher, giving him a chuckle and a look as if to say "Like I give a fuck."

"Office."

"What, no first warnings?" Ichigo asked with a larger grin on his face.

"I'm here to teach, not to put up with your crap," Mr. Ortech retorted. He pointed to the door. "If you're not here to learn you can leave. Mrs. Avocet is probably expecting you."

"Sweet." Ichigo stood from his chair. He collected his books and went towards the hall.

'This guy is a complete idiot!' Rukia thought from her desk. 'How did I get stuck giving my powers to that loser?'

"Oh, there is something I'd like to mention," Ichigo taunted further. "Today was supposed to be the day I helped you with your lessons and shared my homework with the class. I don't suppose I can do this from the office, can I?"

"Go!" The teacher looked about ready to snap.

Ichigo turned away without another word, smirk never leaving his face, a small click from his lips and a wink as he left.

"What an asshole," Tatsuki murmured, barely audible by Orihime.

'I take it back, he's not an idiot,' Rukia commented to herself. 'He's got a brain, obviously he planned this, but he uses his intelligence for the wrong purpose.'

"Well… whose to replace Ichigo?"

Keigo's hand shot up. "Rukia can sir! She's new, and so this can be a way for us to get to know her better! And she can learn how it works!"

Rukia slouched in her seat, dropping her head onto her arm and glaring at the spot Ichigo had just been standing in. 'I hate that idiot.'

* * *

Ichigo strut down the hallway, practically flaunting his "I'm better than thou" attitude. He reached the office in little time at all, having memorized the fastest route from anywhere in the school. Ichigo pushed open the door and walked inside. There was a counter just beyond the doors, two desks a little further behind the counter, three rooms off to the right, and three chairs lined up in a small waiting area to Ichigo's left. Ichigo approached the counter where one lady sat. He leaned against it, smirking as he cleared his throat.

Without bothering to look up, the office lady said, "What is **this **time, Kurosaki?"

"Been sent for shooting an elastic at Uryu Ishida's head. So, where's Avocet today?"

"**Miss **Avocet has gone home to visit family." The lady shuffled a few papers and tidied up the counter. "Mr. O'Connell is expecting you."

'O'Connell, what an American name...' Ichigo thought to himself dully. He couldn't help but think that every time he heard the temporary Principle's name, it was just so obvious!

"Thanks." As Ichigo turned to enter Mr. O'Connell's office a heavy sensation washed over him. He glanced to his right, catching the eye of a white haired boy standing across the office. They exchanged unintended glares before Ichigo tore his vision away and entered the office.

"Rangiku, report this," the 'boy' ordered the girl beside him. She nodded and wrote down something on the clipboard in her arms.

"So, Ichigo Kurosaki…" Mr. O'Connell sighed. He clicked through several different files on his computer, all of them reports of what Ichigo had done in the past.

"So, Jake O'Connell," Ichigo repeated disrespectfully. He sat down in the chair in front of the Principle's desk, kicking his legs up on a coffee table.

"How many times do I have to tell you-?"

"It's a coffee table, not a foot stool. I know, and I don't care."

"I was going to give you a week's detention, but now you've talked me into two." Mr. O'Connell returned Ichigo's grin, leaning over his desk to stare the student in the eye. "Shall we keep going?"

"No, _sir,_" Ichigo spat.

"Good." Mr. O'Connell leaned back. "I understand you were in Mr. Ortech's class? That means you were picking on Uryu Ishida again, correct?"

Ichigo nodded.

"How many times do we have to go through this before you understand? Ichigo, your grades are at the top of the school's, you have a great talent for all arts, yet you spoil it all with a record so disrespectful there's no word to describe it! How can one bright young man like yourself spoil his entire future?"

"With a disrespectful record…" Ichigo grumbled.

Before yelling again, Mr. O'Connell took in a heavy breath then released it to calm his nerves. "Ichigo, we know that it was difficult for you to adapt after your mother died, but I think it's time that you-"

Ichigo jumped up from his chair and slammed his fists down on Mr. O'Connell's desk. _I snapped. _"Don't you **fucking** dare tell **me** to move on! Masaki was everything to me, yet even she betrayed me with lies! I will not seek help from the counsellors, a physiatrist or someone among the likes of _you! _I don't need any help! I don't act the way I do because I was too weak to cope with her death!"

The Principle glowered at Ichigo. "_Three _weeks detention. And starting tomorrow you have five days to write an apology letter to Uryu Ishida."

Ichigo said nothing as he tore away from Mr. O'Connell, slamming the door as he left.

He marched out of the office, not noticing that everyone was staring, and broke out into a run as he tracked down the nearest bathroom. Once there, he locked the bathroom door and ran to the sink. Tears had begun to form in his eyes, but he was able to lightly flick them away. The rest he held back with years of practice.

"_Ichigo, I thought we were stronger than this."_

_I willed my sorrow further back into my mind. Taking a few, deep breaths, I stared myself down in the mirror and replied, _"I k-know… just, what he said…"

_Soothingly chilled hands ghosted over my shoulders. I sighed deeply at the sedative feeling, my shoulders and higher back going numb with pins and needles. "Don't listen to him. He doesn't know anything. If he could understand… if he could know the things we do…"_

"He wouldn't have said what he did."

"_That's right."_

_I reached for the mirror, fingers connecting. As the smooth glass surface met my fingertips, the image I saw started to change. My reflection's fingernails turned black and tendrils took away all color. My school uniform dissolved into a white Shihakusho. His grin replaced my quivering lips, and I watched in awe as black stole the white from his eyes and gold devoured my brown._

"_Can I see a smile from my King?"_

"Why do you call me that?" Ichigo asked slowly.

"_Maybe one day I'll tell you." _Crooked grin remained on pale grey lips. Ichigo had long since been able to suppress the shudder that'd crawl up his back when coming face to face with that smile.

"You never answer that question. For everything I ask you always have an answer. Just not that."

"_Keep thinking about it. This is not a lesson, but a meaning. You have to discover that meaning for yourself, my King. Now, can we manage a smile?" _Ichigo sighed, but smiled nonetheless. There was something, just something, about this being that made Ichigo feel good. It was unexplainable.

"ICHI-NII!"

Ichigo hadn't heard Yuzu scream like that for a very long time. His head whipped to the bathroom door, the mirror shattering where his fingers still touched. The figure faded, and Ichigo bolted for the door.

It flung open with incredible speed, enough to shatter the lock. When Ichigo made it into the hallway, Yuzu had already ran past, but Karin was still a little ways behind. She sprinted up to Ichigo, hardly panting as she blurted out, "Dad's missing and we need you now!"

Ichigo looked away from Karin. His eyes followed the reiatsu trail left by Yuzu then, after spotting her, he shouted, "Yuzu! I'm back here!"

Yuzu turned around, paused to register what she'd just heard, and then bolted towards Ichigo and Karin. Yuzu was panting heavily, looking as if she was going to pass out.

Ichigo picked her up in his arms and questioned, "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"Orihime's been hit by a car!"

"What?" Ichigo started running for the doors that led outside, Yuzu still in his arms and Karin following right behind. 'She was just in class! It's nothing like Orihime to skip. What in the world was she thinking?'

* * *

**DUN. DUN. DUUUUUUUUN!**

**I'll spoil a not secret.**

**The figure Ichigo's talking to? Ichigo's mentor, his sensei, his master, his whatever…**

**Yeah. That's Hollow Ichigo.**

**;-)**

**Oh, and yes, whilst following the Bleach manga plot, this story will also have a few detours.**


End file.
